Santiago Calatrava's design of the new Mons train station emphasizes its role in linking previously disconnected neighborhoods in Mons, Belgium. The station's symmetrical structure features glass and steel canopies that bridge the residential area and historic city center. Inside, Calatrava incorporated natural light and commercial spaces, inspired by the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert in Brussels. He asserts that such transportation hubs can invigorate cities, as seen in New York's skyline. The station is set to become a bustling transit point, enhancing accessibility and connectivity for millions of users each year, alongside its surrounding pedestrian-friendly spaces.
Identical canopies of steel and glass spread at either end of Gare de Mons, connecting the leafy residential district to its north and the historic city center to its south.
Calatrava harnessed the power of natural light, devising the Galerie de la Reine, a skylit sweep filled with shops and restaurants, for city dwellers and commuters alike.
Transportation projects like this have the ability to generate activity within a city. 'Look at the skyline of New York and you will see much of it grows around its train stations.'
To welcome that activity, the architect designed generous plazas outside of the station for pedestrians to experience as they come and go.
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